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Heavy weather management is simple—there are only two basic rules. The prudent mariner must control his vessel’s speed and angle to the wind and seas. That’s it. There’s nothing complicated about these concepts.

However, the offshore execution of these concepts at sea in 50+ knots of breeze and 30+ foot seas—what we traditionalists call offshore seamanship—can vary greatly depending on the boat type, number of hulls, sea state, wind force, the proximity and direction of land, the presence of ocean currents, underwater topography, and a hundred other evolving factors.

Its core premise is simple: a used $3,000 sailboat can be safer offshore than a new $3,000,000 yacht if it is storm-proofed, has the proper gear, and has a crew who knows how to deploy both.

Are you considering taking people you love offshore with limited funds to spend on marine safety gear?

If so, read this book. It will both save you money and provide peace of mind. Storm survival isn’t rocket science. It’s all basic, do-able stuff.

The emphasis is on practical what-actually-works at sea—with awareness that safety gear costs money and takes up valuable space. This book is aimed at frugal, safety-conscious cruising couples with few pennies and large dreams aboard small vessels on big oceans.

Can’t afford a fancy parachute sea anchor? Then consider the lowly, widely available automobile tire—even a discarded retread will do. Or deploy a fender. Or toss over a torn sail…

Here’s the reality: storms are perfectly ordinary, everyday, normal, natural occurrences at sea. There is never a time when a storm is not raging somewhere offshore. If you want to live aboard your cruising boat at sea on passage, storms must be accommodated.

Denying their existence or pretending you will never intersect is silly.

You will. And, in order not to be panicked, you need to be fully, properly prepared. This book details that preparation step-by-step. Most voyages fail at the dock. Don’t allow lack of offshore storm preparation to scuttle your cruising dreams before they’re fully launched.

How long should you stay in a storm? Why? Should you minimize or maximize your time within? Why? What are some of the critical decisions you’ll need to make? Is there a lee shore or do you have plenty of sea room? When is a “favorable current” the worst news possible? What’s the one thing you must avoid? Under what circumstance should you, if you want to make more miles downwind, toss your dock fenders overboard? Which is best during an extended blow—bow-on or stern-to? Why? What does the center of lateral resistance have to do with anything? How can ten cents worth of kite string save your life? Why are transoceanic sailors obsessed with hording air? Why, for gosh sake, would anyone immediately take a drink if they thought they were sinking? When is the best, most logical time to heave-to, set a parachute sea anchor off your bow, or deploy a Jordan Series Drogue from your stern? What tools should you carry?

This book, unlike many, makes definite statements—with no hemming and hawing. It says you should never lay-to or scud. It says parachute retrieval is extremely dangerous. It cautions against any “running set” in mature seas.

What about a tennis ball? What do drag queens have to do with it? Do what with burst fenders?

When should you happily and gratefully discard the $2,000 worth of storm gear you just purchased? What are the two basic choices as a hurricane approaches? From where do you step into a life raft?

This book shows you, step-by-step, how to survive a large storm aboard a small vessel on a big ocean—and at the cost of mini-bucks.

There is not a boat person in the world who can teach people about the joys and sorrows of yachting in such a homespun, often hilarious way. Capt. Fatty Goodlander's books should be loaded aboard immediately after the safety gear, the vittles and the rum. By a bunch and give them out

as "thanks for letting us come aboard" presents. Your guests will surely be impressed.

offshore sailing without fear of unavoidable storms. I consider this book a must read for all sailors.

After you read this book, you will understand that whether you have a modern fin keel boat or a full

keel cruiser, you should be able to survive any weather (almost) comfortably as long as you have

the knowledge. The book is a fun read and very easy to understand. Not only have I read it, but I

will make certain my wife does as well.

A book that only Cap’n Fatty would dare pen—

written in his own inimitable, laid-back style. ﻿

This practical, down-to-earth, step-by-step instruction manual isn’t merely about the basic mechanics of how to anchor—but how to anchor safely, while enjoying your boat more comfortably, in a far greater number of exposed anchorages. It contains everything a cruising sailor needs to know—including the proper cruising attitude and philosophy in relation to international anchoring-as-a lifestyle—and much, much more! It takes a completely new, totally unique “sea gypsy” look at the art and science of anchoring in today’s shrinking world. And, it does it from the penny-pinching perspective of a confirmed “economically-challenged, ever-restless” World Cruiser.

What special precautions should you take while anchoring in very shallow water? How to realistically anchor in 200 feet of depth? And what is the Key Concept to being able to anchor safely—year-after-year—where most sane yachties fear to tread?

﻿

And don't forget Fatty's other books

Another of my books, released Nov 2010, is 'RED SEA RUN: Two Sailors in a Sea of Trouble.' It is available through Amazon.com in both print and Kindles editions. It chronicles our 2010 Indian ocean passage, our transit of the dreaded Gulf of Aden, and our trip up the Red Sea to the Suez Canal. It pulls no punches, and describes our fear of the Somali pirates and our disgust with the Suez Canal officials as honestly and straight-forward as possible. While parts of it are funny, some of it is deadly serious. We hope you enjoy it. We enjoyed living it... well, most parts, anyway.

Chasing the Horizon was written in 1990 (with a new illustrated edition in spring of '08) and is one of the wildest life stories and cruising yarns ever written. This is still, after 22 years, my favorite book! Click on either image to go to Amazon.com and learn more.

Heavy weather management is simple—there are only two basic rules. The prudent mariner must control his vessel’s speed and angle to the wind and seas. That’s it. There’s nothing complicated about these concepts.

However, the offshore execution of these concepts at sea in 50+ knots of breeze and 30+ foot seas—what we traditionalists call offshore seamanship—can vary greatly depending on the boat type, number of hulls, sea state, wind force, the proximity and direction of land, the presence of ocean currents, underwater topography, and a hundred other evolving factors.

Its core premise is simple: a used $3,000 sailboat can be safer offshore than a new $3,000,000 yacht if it is storm-proofed, has the proper gear, and has a crew who knows how to deploy both.

Are you considering taking people you love offshore with limited funds to spend on marine safety gear?

If so, read this book. It will both save you money and provide peace of mind. Storm survival isn’t rocket science. It’s all basic, do-able stuff.

The emphasis is on practical what-actually-works at sea—with awareness that safety gear costs money and takes up valuable space. This book is aimed at frugal, safety-conscious cruising couples with few pennies and large dreams aboard small vessels on big oceans.

Can’t afford a fancy parachute sea anchor? Then consider the lowly, widely available automobile tire—even a discarded retread will do. Or deploy a fender. Or toss over a torn sail…

Here’s the reality: storms are perfectly ordinary, everyday, normal, natural occurrences at sea. There is never a time when a storm is not raging somewhere offshore. If you want to live aboard your cruising boat at sea on passage, storms must be accommodated.

Denying their existence or pretending you will never intersect is silly.

You will. And, in order not to be panicked, you need to be fully, properly prepared. This book details that preparation step-by-step. Most voyages fail at the dock. Don’t allow lack of offshore storm preparation to scuttle your cruising dreams before they’re fully launched.

How long should you stay in a storm? Why? Should you minimize or maximize your time within? Why? What are some of the critical decisions you’ll need to make? Is there a lee shore or do you have plenty of sea room? When is a “favorable current” the worst news possible? What’s the one thing you must avoid? Under what circumstance should you, if you want to make more miles downwind, toss your dock fenders overboard? Which is best during an extended blow—bow-on or stern-to? Why? What does the center of lateral resistance have to do with anything? How can ten cents worth of kite string save your life? Why are transoceanic sailors obsessed with hording air? Why, for gosh sake, would anyone immediately take a drink if they thought they were sinking? When is the best, most logical time to heave-to, set a parachute sea anchor off your bow, or deploy a Jordan Series Drogue from your stern? What tools should you carry?

This book, unlike many, makes definite statements—with no hemming and hawing. It says you should never lay-to or scud. It says parachute retrieval is extremely dangerous. It cautions against any “running set” in mature seas.

What about a tennis ball? What do drag queens have to do with it? Do what with burst fenders?

When should you happily and gratefully discard the $2,000 worth of storm gear you just purchased? What are the two basic choices as a hurricane approaches? From where do you step into a life raft?

This book shows you, step-by-step, how to survive a large storm aboard a small vessel on a big ocean—and at the cost of mini-bucks.

Here's the FAT story...

We need money. But we like to sail. And we know that working can interfere with sailing if you're not careful.

...so we're very careful.

This means a job-job is out. (Frankly, I've never had a job that didn't look good in my rear view mirror.)

Plus, we prefer to shun the shore... too many dirt-dwellers, shore-huggers and dock-queens for our tastes.

So instead we live by our wits. At sea. On landless atolls. Anchored off primitive islands. Far up uncharted rivers. In deserted safe harbors.

The question is, can this web site help us continue to do so in grand style? If so, it will grow. If not...

Here's the scam...

We need you to buy one of our books, or if you really don't have any literary criteria, all of 'em! Don't send us the money. We'd just spent it like, well, like drunken sailors. Instead, buy a book HERE.

Eventually, the money will trickle down to us, and we'll be able to buy some food or some more duct tape to repair Wild Card's mainsail. (After 50,000+ ocean miles, that rag is... well, exactly that.)

Oh, yeah. Most of the photographs are for sail...er, sale. Send me an email here for more info.

Eventually, our little devious minds will probably come up with more clever ways of shaking you down for spare change. But for now, this will have to do.

I know. I know.This web site may strike you as kinda casual and laid back. That's fine. We like being silly and irreverent. In reality, that's sort-of our message. Carolyn and I sail around the world and never get too serious. Not even about money. Instead, we just have fun and allow the rest of it to take care of itself.

Remember: The trick is to live while you're alive!

This entire web page (except where noted) is copyrighted by Cap'n Fatty Goodlande